Ocean of Dust (13 page)

A haggard man with frizzy hair stood before
the steaming pan, stirring morsels of meat and tipping in
ingredients from tiny saucers. Some held oils that spat and sizzled
in the hot bowl, others held spices that erupted with fragrance in
the heat. She recognized some of the aromas, but many were new to
her.

The man conversed jovially with his
customers, easily switching between a handful of languages, one
moment clucking like a jab-bird and the next slurring and rolling
his vowels. Lissa shook her head, bewitched. Something he said
resulted in a flurry of coins appearing from pouches and pockets,
tossed on to the table among a clamor of voices. With each coin he
picked up, he skewered pieces of meat on a wooden stick, touched it
to his forehead and handed it out.

Lissa drooled, licking her lips and sucking
the delicious smells into her nose. Copying the woman next to her,
she changed her silver coin on the table and threw back two ukka
discs. The cook grinned and handed her two sticks. Meaty juices
dribbled down her fingers. She gave one to Branda, then blew on her
own before taking a bite. It tasted sour and she screwed up her
face, but Branda munched hers with a smile and half-closed eyes.
Conversation at the table had been replaced by sounds of chewing,
murmurs, and the licking of fingers.

She took another bite. The solag meat was
perfectly tender, but it tasted rancid. She faked bending down, and
spat it out through a gap in the planking underfoot.

"Over there," Branda cried and leaped up. She
hurtled off into the crowd.

"Wait," Lissa cried, but her friend had
disappeared again.

She jumped off the bench and pushed through
the throng of people, but everyone seemed to be heading in the
opposite direction. She apologized every time she bumped into
someone, receiving nods and smiles in return, but no one gave way.
Gritting her teeth, she continued to barge through.

"Branda?" she called.

She emerged suddenly from the throng, almost
falling on her face, and found herself beside the brightly painted
buildings at the edge of the town. A crooked walkway climbed away
from her. On one side of it was a yellow and orange building that
resembled an inn, and opposite it stood a shop displaying fine
jewelry and racks of bangles of all descriptions.

A crashing sound came from inside and she
jumped. Alice hurtled out the door, squinting against the glare of
both suns.

"Thief," someone yelled. "Stop her."

Two local men burst out of the store, holding
their long robes off the ground with both hands.

Alice charged at Lissa, thrust a bag into her
hands and raced forward. Lissa grabbed Alice's arm and spun her
around against the side wall of the shop. Alice tumbled to the
ground, pulling Lissa with her. A dark shadow fell across them
both, and Lissa looked up to see Bardas, his eyes bulging, his jaw
clenched.

Alice cowered. "She made me do it," she
whined, pointing at Lissa. "She beats me if I don't steal for
her."

Lissa snapped her head around and glared at
Alice, mouth agape.

"She's been going on for ages about stealing
something good," Alice continued. "She wouldn't stop hurting me
until I did it for her."

Bardas snatched up the bag and opened it. He
grunted displeasure, and showed the gathering crowd of onlookers a
handful of jeweled necklaces, their gems sparkling in the
suns-light. The crowd gasped and stared at Lissa.

Chapter 12 - Thief

"Don't let her beat me again," Alice
wailed.

Lissa clacked her mouth shut and peered up at
Bardas.

"She's lying. I... I don't know anything
about this. She stole it. I didn't tell her to. Sir, you know I
don't beat her. Tell them." Her gaze flicked across the crowd.

"Shuddup." He closed the bag, touched it to
his forehead and returned it to the shopkeeper. "I'm sorry for the
trouble. I hope nothing's missing. We'll take care of this."

He pulled both girls to their feet, gripping
their elbows, and dragged them around a corner away from the
spectators. There, he threw them to the ground.

"Si’ down both of ye." He turned to another
man from the ship, "Fetch the crew chief."

Alice sniffed and uttered great sobs,
scrunching her eyes tight until tears formed. Lissa shook her head.
The crew chief wouldn't buy her story for a moment, so Alice had
just gotten herself into trouble too. Lissa snorted.
Me, a
criminal mastermind?
She turned her back on Alice and brought
her knees up to her chest. What if they were both brought before
Farq? She chewed her lip.

Her skin prickled. Someone was watching her.
She looked up and saw a tall, stick-like creature with a long neck
strung with dozens of strings of jewels. It shimmered and glinted
in the light. Was it a she or a he? The creature had silky, silver
hair pierced by two pointed ears tipped with a tuft of orange fur.
It stared at her with lozenge-shaped eyes that blinked rapidly.

The crew chief arrived, accompanied by two of
his men. A deep frown creased his brow and he picked at his beard.
He placed his huge fists on either hip and leaned over to glare at
the two girls.

"What's going on?" he barked.

"These two stole from a local merchant,"
Bardas said. He kicked Lissa's foot. "Looks like this one was
givin' orders to Alice."

"That's not true," Lissa cried. "I'm not a
thief."

"Then what's this?" Alice snatched a pouch
from Lissa's skirt pocket, and emptied a pile of coins into her
lap.

Lissa stared at the coins. How did Alice know
about her Bandit winnings?

"I didn't steal them," she said. "They're
mine."

"Yeah right. This is all yours?" Alice
stabbed a finger into Lissa's arm. "You've been stealing from the
crew. I've seen you."

"No! No, I haven't. They're mine. I didn't
steal them."

"I don't believe you," the crew chief said.
"You can explain to Farq."

Lissa whimpered and her stomach lurched. Sick
rose in her throat. "No, listen to me, please."

The tall creature glided forward.

"Forgive me for intervening,” it said in a
chirping, bird-like voice, “but I can assist in the truth of this
matter."

The crew chief stepped back and acknowledged
it with a nod. His expression softened and a puzzled frown
appeared.

"I'm all ears," he said, then glancing at the
creature's prominent ears, added, "I... I mean, I'll listen, of
course."

"The human female with the red hair tells the
truth."

His gaze flicked to Lissa. "She does?"

It nodded slowly, and its ears twitched and
rotated. "She has no knowledge of the theft. The human female named
Alice is entirely at fault."

"That's a lie," Alice shrieked. Bardas kicked
her.

"The currency before us does indeed belong to
the red-haired female," the creature continued. "She is honoring a
promise not to reveal who gave it to her."

Lissa realized that her mouth was wide open
again, and closed it. Was the creature reading her mind? Why was it
helping?

"Given to her you say?" the crew chief
repeated, scrutinizing Lissa all the while.

He turned to the tall creature and dipped his
head. "Y'seliche et-mara. Bardas, take Alice back to the ship. I'll
make good the cost of the damages with that shopkeeper."

Bardas forced Alice to return every coin back
in the pouch and return it to Lissa, then he seized her arm and
dragged her away into the crowd.

Lissa found herself staring at the creature.
She blinked, mirroring its action, and then dipped her gaze.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare."

"But you did nonetheless," it said in a
perfect imitation of her voice.

Lissa gasped. "How did you do that?"

"Your language is childishly primitive
compared to our own. It is not difficult to learn." Again, Lissa
heard her own voice.

"No, I don't mean how well you speak my
language. I mean how can you imitate me like that?"

"As I said, your language is simple."

Lissa shook her head. It hadn't really
answered her question. "Who are your people, if I may ask?"

"You may ask, but you couldn't pronounce it."
It tossed its ears back and forth, and Lissa interpreted that as a
shrug.

A passer-by laughed. "You won't get nowhere
with them, girl. They'll talk you in circles all day."

"Why did you help me?" Lissa asked it.

"We are evangelists for truth," it replied,
returning to its own voice.

What did that mean? "How do you know all
those things about me?"

"Enjoy your stay on the island, little human.
You possess the courage to question. Develop that talent, for with
it comes wisdom."

It flicked its ears back and walked away with
huge, effortless strides, the crowd parting and closing in behind
it. Lissa stared after it. She had never realized that the world
was filled with so many strange races. She felt a tug on her arm
and turned to see Branda, looking flushed and panting again. What
was she doing, running around the whole plaza?

"Can you write?" Branda asked between
breaths.

"Of course, why?"

"Follow."

Branda slipped her hand into Lissa's and
tugged her along a row of stalls.

"Sorry I run off. I see men from Valin. I ask
them get message to Mama."

"You can do that?" It would be wonderful to
tell her mother that she was alive, so that she wouldn't mourn.

"Men send me here," Branda said,
stopping.

A local woman with nut-brown hair sat behind
a wheeled cart piled high with envelopes, pens and bottles of ink.
A flapping, white sheet provided shade for the cart and the tables
set out in front.

"Good morning, yoon travelers," the woman
said with a smile.

"You write letter for me?" Branda asked
Lissa.

"I'd love to but I don't know Valinese
script."

"Oh." Branda's shoulders sagged, and her eyes
lost their sparkle.

"I coon scribe for you, little oon," the
woman said.

"That's great," Lissa said. "We'd like to
send two letters please, one to Valin and one to Pelen, if you know
where that is. I can write that one."

The stall-owner dipped her head. "As you
like."

She handed over a sheet of clean parchment, a
pen and a bottle of ink.

"Two seelver coins foor both, with the
translation."

Lissa fished the coins from her pouch. Branda
gasped at the sight of so much money.

The woman beckoned to Branda. "Come and sit
beside me, little oon."

"Thank you, thank you, Lissa," Branda
said.

Lissa took her materials to a table and
slumped in the chair. She put the inked pen to the parchment and
then withdrew it. She chewed her lip and tried again. Sentences and
memories flicked around her mind. Where to start? What to say? Her
pen hovered above the paper for several long moments. Finally, she
started to write and didn't stop until the end.

Dearest Mother,

I miss you so very much. I bet you've been
worried sick about me.

Two men dragged me off on my way home and
brought me aboard a ship to work in the galley. I'm sorry you
didn't know what happened to me. I'm all right. Try not to worry.
I've made some friends. I remember everything you taught me,
especially about cooking. Your recipes are very helpful and remind
me often of home, and of you.

The ship's called The Fair Maiden of Yamin.
We are far to the south in a place called Us-imyan. I don't know
where we're going next. I don't know if we'll ever return to Pelen.
I'll try to write you when I can. Please don't try to write back or
I'll get into trouble.

I beg you not to worry, Mother. I love you
very, very much.

Your loving daughter,

Lissa.

She blotted her tears that dotted the
parchment, weighted it under the ink bottle and sat back, giving in
to the heaving sobs and flooding tears. She would do anything to
run back inside her mother's inn and promise to be the most
obedient, devoted daughter in the world. She would never again
complain about sweeping the common room.

Branda sat opposite her, also sobbing and
sniffling. Lissa dried her eyes on her shirt and looked up at the
stall-keeper standing patiently before them. The woman set two cool
mugs on the table and carefully picked up Lissa's letter.

"The drinks are my treat," she whispered.
"Cry no moor. All your dreams will oon day be true."

* * *

Lissa couldn't wait to go to the festival. It
would be so much fun after the boredom and hard work on the ship.
For a moment, she forgot about all the hardships, except for a
nagging doubt that she and Branda wouldn't be allowed to go. The
physiker had said they could. He even told them to wear their best
clothes.

Late in the afternoon, she awoke from a nap.
The men said the ship would load water from the island before
departing, so she spent extra time in the washroom, soaping and
rinsing her hair twice, humming to herself. Once it had dried, she
braided and clipped it back.

Ignoring the simple, decoy dress she had laid
aside earlier, she reached behind a stack of empty crates, and
pulled out the beautiful green dress. She smiled. Alice would never
have found it.
Where had Alice been all day?

The main deck was eerily empty. The only
sounds were the whispering creaking of ropes, and muted voices from
below. Eldrar had set, and the ocean of dust had half swallowed the
smaller sun, Indar. Now that they were secured to the wharf, the
movement of the ship was hard to notice.

"What a dreamy green," Branda said, crossing
from the infirmary door. She fingered the fabric of Lissa's dress.
"Where you get that?"

"I told you, remember? I was sizing it."
Lissa stepped back. "You look very pretty."